


Toffee Apples and Warm Hands

by Shiba_K



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alien Markets, Cold Hands, F/M, Fluff, Snow, hints of romance, whouffaldi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-22 01:44:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9576401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiba_K/pseuds/Shiba_K
Summary: On a quiet trip to an alien market, Clara is faced with a little problem, but the Doctor is quick to provide a solution for it.





	

Clara’s eyes wondered in amazement over the colorful displays of the numerous stalls occupying the snowy market square. Any and all kinds of wares could be found there, from exotic spices and fine cloth to curious little nick-knacks whose purpose was entirely lost on Clara. To complete the perfect picture of a winter town there were strings of twinkling fairy lights adorning the many stalls and even the occasional falling snowflake. 

It was quite obvious that the Doctor had been trying to show off by taking her here. And he had known exactly how well he had succeeded in impressing her judging by the smug look she had caught a glimpse of before she had scampered off with glee. She’d forgive him this time. Especially if he would do another little thing for her.

Because what had really caught Clara’s attention amidst this idyllic sight were the wonderful smells of hot food that lured the cold wanderer to come over to taste them. One smell in particular had hit her as soon as they had stepped out of the TARDIS. Now, she stood eyeing with particular interest what looked very much like toffee apples in a stall just a few feet away. 

Just as she was about to step towards the alluring treats, Clara felt the Doctor’s hand grip her gloved one. Turning to him, she looked at him inquisitively. 

‘No wandering off on your own,’ the Doctor replied to her silent question, his own gaze stern.

‘Well, come on then,’ Clara smiled and tugged at the Doctor’s hand, undeterred by his warning, ‘you’re buying me a toffee apple. You still need to make it up to me for the squid incident last week. My classroom still reeks of dead fish even now.’ She glanced over her shoulder to catch the Time Lord grumble something under his breath, though he didn’t offer any resistance against her pull. 

The Doctor let Clara lead him over to the food stand and paid for the treat, taking in the way her eyes widened and the happy sigh she made as she bit into the sugar-covered apple and committing it to memory. 

Catching him looking at her, Clara held the apple up in an offer to him, but the Doctor shook his head. It was her treat, she should enjoy it. He was very much content with simply watching her. The crisp air had tinged her cheeks a rosy color only adding to her natural beauty. And that sparkle in her eyes, gods, he would buy her an entire planet of toffee apples if it meant he would see it every day. 

Holding his hand palm upward to Clara, the Doctor waited silently for her to take it. He was rewarded with a dazzling smile which caused his hearts to skip a beat. Clara took his hand with her free one lacing their fingers together, this time allowing the Time Lord to lead her around. 

Their slow meanderings took them around the whole market and eventually brought them to a quiet park close to the town square. Silence reigned in the tiny snow covered lanes except for the sound of the freshly fallen snow crunching underneath their shoes. 

Clara couldn’t have wished for a better day-off from their usual fast-paced adventures as she gazed at the snowy landscape. Nor for a better companion to spend it with. But as the afternoon sun slowly made place for the starry night sky, the temperature began to fall. And despite her warm gloves, the cold had gradually numbed the fingers of her left hand, the hand the Doctor had been holding since buying her the toffee apple, not once letting go. 

She stole a quick glance at his face, feeling her heart flutter at the contented smile she saw. 

She was torn. Although her fingers were going numb, she did not want to take her hand away. Prolonged contact like this, especially initiated by the Doctor, was rare, even though they had started doing hugs more often now. Clara was determined each time to savor the contact for as long as possible and was therefore reluctant to put an end to it. That, and she did not want to see the Doctor’s relaxed mood disappear.

Glancing at their joined hands and then back down to the snow-covered ground she decided to stick it out a bit longer. 

However, after a few more minutes of walking, Clara was forced to concede defeat and to retrieve her hand from the Doctor’s, stuffing it in the pocket of her winter coat. Sensing the Doctor come to a sudden halt beside her, she looked up at him apologetically. 

‘Sorry, my hand was a bit frozen, I just need to warm up a bit,’ she said slightly sheepishly all the while trying to flex her stiff fingers to get the blood circulation going again. 

The Doctor frowned and Clara caught the hint of something pass in the depths of his gaze, though it disappeared before she was able to discern exactly what she had seen. The frown still marring his features made her curse her cold hand, fearing that she had just put an end to the intimate atmosphere the two of them had been sharing for the last few hours. 

‘I-’ the Doctor paused mid-sentence, his breath forming a little white cloud in the cold evening air, ‘can help.’

The Doctor’s words surprised Clara. That had not been an answer she was expecting. And then there was the hesitant note in the tone of his voice that melted her heart. She wanted to tell him that she would be fine, that there was no need for him to worry, that she would warm up in a minute when he surprised her once more by reaching for her cold hand. 

Clara watched with curiosity as the Doctor gently took her hand from her pocket and slid the glove off. He cradled her hand in his for a moment before bringing it up to his face and blowing warm air on it. 

Warm air.

Clara’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at their hands, feeling the Doctor’s normally much colder ones become warmer with each second he held hers. His comforting warmth immediately seeped into them and drove away the cold. 

When she finally managed to drag her eyes up to meet his, she found a bemused Time Lord gazing down at her. 

‘I can adjust my body temperature if I want to,’ he said calmly in way of explanation, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. And in a way Clara supposed it was. It was the Doctor after all, she reasoned, her alien best friend who always managed to be both predictable and unpredictable at the same time. 

‘And although I cannot reach your absurdly high natural body temperature, in this cold even a little change can go very far.’ 

‘You- you altered your body temperature? For me?’ Clara asked in quiet amazement, her heart beating just a little faster at the gesture, and the significance behind it. Deep down they both knew the answers to her questions. But even then, each of these little gestures the Doctor had gotten into the habit of making never ceased to make her chest swell with a range of powerful feelings.

‘Yes…?’ The Doctor’s reply was short and gained a tone of insecurity at the end when he saw Clara’s eyes do their round thing. They were going round and yet Clara was smiling and he began to panic just a little. And then he panicked a little more when she buried her face in his coat, her hands slipping from his and gripping his back. He froze, tensed up with his hand left hanging in the air.

‘Clara- hugs… I,’ he stammered earning himself a muffled giggle from the woman currently pressed to his chest. 

‘I thought we did hugs now,’ Clara said looking up at him.

The Doctor hesitated for a second before responding. ‘Yes.’ 

He gazed down at Clara and watched her smile reappear, the action easing some of the tension from his frame. Right, yes, he could do this. And look, Clara was even helping him, gently pulling first his right arm and then his left from the air and wrapping them around herself. Automatically his hold tightened, holding his companion close. 

Apparently satisfied, Clara re-buried her face in his coat and the Doctor felt a light shudder pass through her body as she exhaled in contentment. Gingerly, he rested his chin on top of her head relaxing a bit more. He closed his eyes focusing entirely on the sensations evoked by holding his Clara in his arms.

Clara nuzzled the dark material of the Doctor’s velvet coat, silently thanking him for his wonderfully attentive gestures and hoping he would be able to pick up on it through his telepathic abilities. But even if he was hampered by the layers of clothing separating them, she knew he had felt the kiss she had placed on his chest when his hearts jumped underneath her cheek. 

Clara smiled.

Fin


End file.
